Joe-Boy Rahme MonsterStaK Main Event Day 1a | 2025 SunBet GrandWest

11-27-2025 17:30 UTC+2

Steenkamp Talks His Way to Profit

Christian Zetzsche

Level 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Three ways to the J♠10♦5♣6♦ turn, Dirk Steenkamp checked from the small blind and the big blind bet 3,000. Ricardo Sequeira called on the button and Steenkamp also called, then checked the 3♠ on the river.

"You gonna check also because you probably have five four, and your queen nine is no good," Steemkamp said. His table neighbour checked, as did Sequeira. Steenkamp declared that he had a ten and flashed the 10♣4♥. Sequeira mucked a five and the big blind indeed exposed his 5♥4♣.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dirk Steenkamp	125,000 20,000	20,000
Ricardo Sequeira	75,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Dirk Steenkamp Ricardo Sequeira

11-27-2025 17:26 UTC+2

Assorted Counts in the Field

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Reagan Benjamin	350,000 94,000	94,000
Jaco Mouton	258,000 53,000	53,000
Julie Ramos	180,000 54,000	54,000
JP Le Roux	180,000
Rudy Frick	135,000 35,000	35,000
Hennie Appel	130,000 30,000	30,000
Rajeev Poonhath	125,000 125,000	125,000
Cliton Taliwanth	110,000 71,200	71,200
Adrian Andritz	105,000 70,000	70,000
Sugen Singh	82,000 16,000	16,000
Terry Brookes	80,000 20,000	20,000
Frank Chilchik	80,000 20,000	20,000
Ben	50,000 60,000	60,000

11-27-2025 17:18 UTC+2

A Double and a Knockout

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Carrie Feinauer looked up a short stack with K♥7♦ versus A♣2♥ and both players had a piece of the K♦10♣2♦J♦8♣ board to result in a casualty.

One table over, Jon Persent was put to the test on a board of 10♥8♠3♠6♣2♦ and eventually called all-in. He was shown the Q♦9♣ and earned the full double with the K♦8♥ for a pair of eights.

Player	Chips	Progress
Carrie Feinauer	175,000 13,000	13,000
Jon Persent	170,000 69,200	69,200

Tags: Carrie Feinauer Jon Persent

11-27-2025 17:09 UTC+2

Nortje Back to His Usual Style

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Marko Nortje raised to 2,500 and received one caller. The big blind three-bet to 7,000 and Nortje then squeezed to 32,500, forcing out the cold-caller. The big blind used one time bank extension and folded.

In the meanwhile two tables over, Jedd Kossew was spotted on his way out while Nico Wiechers dragged in his chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nico Wiechers	300,000 110,000	110,000

Marko Nortje	145,000 45,000	45,000

Jedd Kossew	Busted

Tags: Jedd Kossew Marko Nortje Nico Wiechers

11-27-2025 16:57 UTC+2

Two in a Row for van der Hulst

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Hanre Retief was not back in his seat in time and forfeited a part of his stack out of the blinds. That hand saw a board of K♠Q♦9♠4♣J♦ on which Alan Jung in the under-the-gun position check-called for 5,000 against Hans van der Hulst. The latter showed Q♠10♥ for the straight and won the pot.

Van der Hulst then raised to 2,600 and Jung was the only caller from the big blind. On a Q♣7♣7♦ flop, Jung check-folded to a bet of 3,500.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hans van der Hulst	140,000 140,000	140,000
Alan Jung	105,000 10,000	10,000
Hanre Retief	97,000 16,000	16,000
Benji Berman	75,000 21,200	21,200

Tags: Alan Jung Hanre Retief Hans van der Hulst

11-27-2025 16:50 UTC+2

Nearly 100 Entries for Day 1a

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Jayson Zulch has already bought back in for Day 1a while Ashley Hira will do so shortly. Hira had started well into the flight but things then went downhill after he was moved tables. During the break, Hira recalled that he flopped top and bottom pair with A♣9♣ in multi-way action and ran into pocket nines for a set.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jayson Zulch	100,000 63,000	63,000
Ashley Hira	100,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Jayson Zulch Ashley Hira

Level: 5

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 1,000

11-27-2025 16:34 UTC+2

Second Break of the Day

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 4 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Upon completion of level four, the field has reached 92 entries of which 84 players remain. They are now on a scheduled 15-minute break and the next break will be 90 minutes long.

11-27-2025 16:30 UTC+2

Barnard Takes From Wright

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 4 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Mark Wright check-raised the 9♣3♦2♥5♣ turn to 30,000 and Dylan Barnard called which led them to the K♠ on the river. Wright now checked and Barnard's time expired after which he was forced to give up a time bank and then bet 15,000.

"I am invested," Wright said and paid it off to get shown J♥J♠.

"Well done," Wright replied and flashed his 8♣8♦.

At the same time one table over, Caleb October had a bet of 12,000 paid off on the Q♦10♣3♣7♣K♥ river and won the pot with Q♠8♠.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dylan Barnard	220,000 220,000	220,000
Caleb October	150,000 15,000	15,000
Mark Wright	110,000 35,000	35,000
Daniel Scott	66,000 66,000	66,000

Tags: Caleb October Dylan Barnard Mark Wright

11-27-2025 16:29 UTC+2

Du Toit Gets a Shove Through

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 4 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

On the river of a Q♣5♣4♣6♠2♣ board, Damon Fine had checked and his table neighbour Cassiem Du Toit pushed all-in. The shove was for 30,100 into a pot of around 18,000 and Fine reluctantly folded. Despite this setback, Fine is having a fine day so far with a very solid above-average stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Damon Fine	160,000 35,000	35,000
Cassiem Du Toit	50,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Cassiem Du Toit Damon Fine